


flu season

by rachelwrites



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, Sick Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:08:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24638914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachelwrites/pseuds/rachelwrites
Summary: if annabeth is sick, then who's flying the plane? still annabeth, apparently.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Comments: 5
Kudos: 131
Collections: favorite on PJO





	flu season

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this for @biclarisselarue on tumblr! prompt was “You were sick 5 minutes ago.” “But I’m not sick now.”
> 
> enjoy!

Percy breathed a sigh of relief as he slid down against the door of Cabin Three. He looked out on the rest of camp, wondering how on earth he was going to manage to reach his dad with an Iris message.

Annabeth was sick. It was a rare occurrence, which made it that much worse when it eventually hit her. Ten minutes ago, Malcom had ushered her to Percy from a safe three feet behind, only saying “I can’t afford to get the whole Athena cabin sick,” and then walking away. Percy understood the meaning; Annabeth was supposed to wait it out in his cabin.

He managed to get her inside the cabin and on a bed without too much trouble. She was so tired she only muttered “meeting” and “important” before rolling over and shutting her eyes. Percy covered her with a blanket and prayed to all the gods that they would forgive her for being late.

Of all the days for Annabeth to fall mysteriously and dramatically ill, this was probably the worst. They were going to Olympus, to pitch a temple Annabeth wanted to build. “The Temple of the Fallen” to honor every demigod who had fallen in battle. It was something Jason had mentioned off-handedly the last time he’d been at camp, but Annabeth had loved the idea. She’d sat for five minutes after hearing it, for Percy to realize she was tapping her foot in impatience. He asked her if she wanted to leave to get drafting paper, and she said “gods, yes.”

He sighed again. There was no way the gods were going to let them reschedule. He was going to have to present Annabeth’s points. He stood up and turned around, ready to grab the doorknob, only for the door to be opened with Annabeth standing behind it, folders in hand.

They stared at each other for a moment, before Annabeth began to speak. “Why are you still here? You were supposed to tell Argus to get the uber.” She sounded congested.

“Annabeth,” Percy started, “you cannot _possibly_ be thinking of going to Olympus in your condition.”

She sniffled and turned up her nose. “And what condition would that be?” She pushed past him, starting her way down the hill to the Big House.

Percy blinked, suddenly realizing that she was going to continue walking. He broke into a short jog to catch up with her. “Annabeth!” he said, waving his arms. “You’re sick!”

Annabeth stared straight ahead. “I’m not sick.”

“You were sick five minutes ago”

“Well, I’m not sick now.” She punctuated the sentence with a sneeze and kept walking.

“Oh my gods,” Percy said as they finally reached the Big House, “you’re really going to do this? Go to Olympus with whatever mega-cold is wrecking your immune system right now?”

Annabeth smiled. “It’s fine,” she said, opening the door. “Plus, it’s not like the gods can catch it from me.”

Grover and Rachel, who had been waiting patiently in the main room, sprang from their seats. “Where were you?” said Grover, dropping the tin can Percy was sure he’d been chewing. “You were supposed to be here five minutes ago. The car’s waiting.”

Percy opened his mouth to explain, only for it to be interrupted by Annabeth having a sneezing fit that nearly knocked her to the ground. Luckily, Rachel was there to catch her. “Woah, nelly,” she said with a small laugh. She turned to Percy. “We’re taking this girl to Olympus?”

He nodded grimly. “She won’t give me the papers.”

Grover looked between Percy and Rachel, still holding Annabeth, in horror. “Well,” said Rachel, “Let’s take this girl to Olympus! Whoo!”

An hour later saw them stumbling out of the uber in front of 34th street. Percy and Grover carried Annabeth out of the car, while Rachel settled up with the driver (paying him absurd amounts of her father’s money to excuse the obscene amount of bodily fluids in his backseat).

Rachel tapped Percy on the shoulder to take his place holding Annabeth. The y strolled into the lobby and the guard took one look at them before saying “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

Percy sighed. “Please let us up.”

“In her condition?” said the guard. Annabeth gave a little grumble and closed her eyes in response. “Absolutely. No way. You’re just two demigods this time.”

Rachel transferred Annabeth’s weight over to Grover and walked up to the desk and put on her let me speak to the manager voice. “Just _two_ demigods?” she said, incredulously. “Make that two demigods, and one symbol of godly power plus a powerful nature spirit.”

The guard raised his eyebrow. “You mean…”

Rachel tilted her head and smiled sickly sweet. Percy was always shocked at how good she was at the rich girl routine. “I’m the Oracle of Delphi,” she said, “possessed by the spirit of the foretelling, Apollo’s favorite prophet and the seat of his power. Him?” she said, jabbing her thumb back to point at Grover. “Lord of the Wild.” Grover waved. “And these two,” she said, motioning towards Percy and Annabeth, “are the two most powerful demigods of the age.”

Not waiting for an pause, Percy continued. “I’m Percy Jackson, hero of Olympus, son of Poseidon, former praetor of New Rome, survivor of Tartarus.”

Annabeth perked her head up a little and said “Huh?”

Percy sighed again. “That’s Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, architect of Olympus, blah blah blah let us go up the elevator please. They’re expecting us. How do you think it’s going to go for you if we’re late?”

The guard lets them up.

Grover is clacking his teeth, and Rachel grabs a Pepsi can out of her bag and gives it to him. The elevator is playing “C’mon Smile” and Percy is desperately trying to steal Annabeth’s notes from her, to no avail. When the elevator’s doors open, they’re escorted to the throne room.

The stand outside the door for a moment. Grover gulps. “We’re really going in there?”

Percy looks at Annabeth, who’s eyes are glazed over. “Last chance to back out,” he warns her.

She shakes her head. “No,” she says, “I got this.” And that’s the first full sentences he’s heard her say since they’ve left Long Island, so he’s feeling open when he opens the throne room door.

The twelve Olympians are sitting in their thrones, super-sized. In front of them, there’s a normal sized podium with a normal sized projector and screen. Four chairs behind it and a cup of water on the podium. The four of them shuffle in, all bowing (thanks to Grover pulling Annabeth down with him). When Zeus tells them to, they stand and take their places.

Percy places Annabeth’s notes on the podium and sits in between Rachel and Grover. Annabeth begins to turn towards them, and Rachel quickly springs into action, turning her around so she doesn’t have her back to the Olympians. Annabeth ponders her supplies for a moment and takes a sip of water. Percy would pray, but anyone he’d pray to is already in this room.

Annabeth takes a deep breath. “Honored Olympian Council,” she begins, “I am humbled today by your choice to let me speak in front of you. I was given the great honor of redesigning Olympus after the last Titan War, and my presence in this hall is not something I take lightly. So today I present to you, the Temple of the Fallen, meant to honor all your children who perish in battle.”

Percy’s jaw drops. Rachel smiles giddily and Grover sits stunned as Annabeth carries on throughout her whole speech, even better than he’d heard her practice it two days before. The gods are nodding along in approval — even Hera is listening closely. At the end of her speech, there’s a light round of applause before she asks for questions.

Hephaestus answers first. “So in terms of sacrifices, these would all be in addition to our usual offerings, correct?”

Annabeth smiled. “Lord of the Forges,” she responded, “first, I must ask you, why are you upside down?”

Grover and Percy shared a quick look, their empathy link doing all the communicative work. “Alright!” Percy said, hopping up to the podium as Grover led Annabeth down to the seats. “Yes, Lord Hephaestus, and you would even be receiving some of the sacrifices made towards your children. Anything else?”

He passes through the rest of the questions easily, and after an official vote the Temple of the Fallen has officially been approved for construction, to begin immediately. They’re invited to a brunch after.

Rachel’s off gossiping with Apollo about the latest prophecies she’s given, and Grover is making friends with some of the dryads, who he assumes must be friends of Juniper’s. His father has just left him to get another pig-in-a-blanket when he feels a pressure at his back. He turns around to see two gray eyes boring into him.

“Lady Athena,” he says, nodding his head in reverence.

“Perseus Jackson,” she says, “I suppose I must thank you for not letting my daughter make a fool out of herself.”

Percy smiles. “It was really all her, ma’am,” he says. “I mean, she was incredible, wasn’t she? That was Lin in 2012. That was DeGrom winning his second Cy Young. That was… well that was your daughter. That was Annabeth Chase.”

The goddess smiled ever so slightly, so small that Percy thought he might have imagined it if it wasn’t for the warmth in her next statement. “Yes,” Athena said, “I suppose she is rather brilliant. You all should head back to camp soon, though, as I’m sure there’s a plate of ambrosia waiting for her at the Big House upon your return.”

Percy smiled. “Yes ma’am,” he said, letting the other goddess turn around and leave. He finds Annabeth snoozing in the corner, protected by a few cloud spirits. They giggle as Percy shoos them away to wake up Annabeth. “Hey,” he says as she begins to blink her eyes open. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”

She looks at him a little confused. “Babe?” she asks.

He brings her to her feet, thankful that Grover and Rachel have noticed and are saying their goodbyes. “It’s time to go home.”

**Author's Note:**

> leave a comment or kudos to show me you care! holla at me on tumblr [@annabelh](annabelh.tumblr.com)


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